Home Blog Page 529

Video – Mick McCarthy thanks Irish fans

Mick McCarthy has thanked the “wonderful” fans for the support he was given in his second spell as Republic of Ireland manager.

Click here for video 

On Saturday afternoon, the FAI announced that McCarthy would be replaced by Under-21 manager Stephen Kenny with immediate effect.

Speaking to FAI TV after the announcement, the former Ireland manager said his departure “was brought forward, with what’s happening worldwide”, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite leading the team through the European Qualifiers, McCarthy said the chance not to lead the team to the European Championships next summer was “hugely disappointing, but I fully understand it.”

Stephen Kenny takes charge of the team now ahead of the Play-Off against Slovakia and he has the full support of his predecessor.

“I fully support the decision. It’s only right and fair that Stephen gets his chance on August 1st.”

With four games set to take place in Dublin in 2021 for the European Championships, McCarthy plans to watch Ireland in those games.

“I said to Roy [Barrett] that the only thing I’d ask for when leaving is a couple of tickets for next EUROs when we qualify.”

Most Iconic Pieces of NFL Gear for Real Fans

The NFL is a very cool part of American sport. You see, what people like about the NFL is that it has an element of community. This is a sport where people engage together, and so there are ways to demonstrate your devotion to the series. 

One of the things that you can do is collect pieces of gear which have been used by some of the different people who have played the game before. It’s an excellent way to prove that you are a devoted fan, and at the same time not yourself some incredible stuff that will no doubt look fantastic in your home. So let’s take a look at the best men’s NFL gear. 

Jerseys and Hoodies

Sometimes, when it comes to getting the absolute best from everything that you do, you need to think about some of the most basic options. Jerseys and hoodies are good examples of this. 

These are easy to acquire, with most being sold by the club themselves, and offer your way to connect with your chosen team and still look great on at the same time. They are often comfortable and practical, you can wear them to games, and it helps to represent the team as well as create a sense of community between you and everybody else. Sometimes you can get them signed, sometimes they’ll be special commemorative pieces released, but for the most part these are just fantastic pieces of gear that real fans would love to pick up.

Helmets 

The helmet is a very cool part of playing football, and so it would be an incredible piece of gear to collect to display in your home. It’s often the case that these helmets get bashed up and didn’t up over the course of play, and then after a certain point they become useless, and can be sold on.

These helmets are a really cool part of the history of the game, and so collecting them is something that true fans do. It’s like a connection to a particular event or match, or the life of a player. You might even go on to get the particular item that you’re looking for signed, and that adds a whole new level of connection between you and the individual who it belongs to. It’s a highly entertaining exercise, and one which people do frequently. 

Photographs

One of the best things that you can have when it comes to getting the most from your experiences is a photograph of the players themselves that the club has taken and printed. While this may not necessarily fall under the heading of gear, it is a core part of the experience and one which you should definitely keep an eye out for while you’re trying to collect things as part of your quest to be a real fan. 

These photographs are tangible links between you and the team, and more often than not you can get them signed and framed. It is a nice experience for real fans because they’re often so much fun and so easy to collect. Some people even make it their mission to collect photos of themselves with all the players in the team. This is more difficult but can be ultimately worth it if you want to try and go that extra step further. 

The Whole Uniform 

So, if you’re a real fan, and you want to try and prove your dedication to the team and your commitment to the game, you might consider collecting the whole uniform, from top to bottom. This is the ultimate way of proving your loyalty and can be an incredibly rewarding experience from start to finish. There are so many reasons to do this. 

First of all, there is something about the whole uniform which is different to anything else that you can collect. It gives you a real sense of finality and improvement because there are so many different parts of the whole kit all in one place. A lot of people frame it and put it on the wall, which is nice. 

Something else which is quite common is when people attempt to get each item signed by a member of the team prior to storing the gear inside a frame. This makes the whole thing even more special as you can probably imagine because not only do you have the whole uniform, but you also have the memories which came from meeting people, and the signatures of all these incredible athletes. 

What you do is ultimately up to you, but it is not uncommon to see a lot of different people try for the uniform of one particular player, or they might just go for a generic kit. It is ultimately your choice but something like this is highly engaging because it is so unique and easy to work with. It is your experience, your journey to go on and this makes it highly engaging and easy to enjoy as a result. 

Overall, these are just some of the different options which you have at your disposal when it comes to getting the absolute most from your experiences as a fan collecting pieces of NFL gear. It’s definitely not easy for people to do but it is very rewarding if you can make it work. By stopping to take the time and explore all of the different options, you really start to see that people go on a journey when they collect all of this gear. They stop being just a casual admirer of the game and start to become real fans and it is quite nice. Your experience as an original fan is up to you. There is no guideline on what to do and no experience which has been recommended. How you explore and collect all of the different options is ultimately up to you and it makes the whole experience incredible from start to end.

Ranking NBA’s Mascots from Worst to Best

Every single team in the NBA has a distinct personality. They have a set of characteristics which make them unique to fans, and this can include a mascot. The mascot is the ultimate expression for the team, it is an example of what they do, what they think, and how they choose to represent themselves to the players and to the fans.

Some of these mascots have been very entertaining people, and have gone on to be excellent images for the team as a whole. Others have not been so good. Let’s take a look at the NBA mascots being ranked from worst to best. 

Chuck the Condor – Los Angeles Clippers

 

The Los Angeles Clippers introduced this interesting mascot during 2016. His name was Chuck, and he was a condor. According to the team, this particular specimen was meant to represent how they would approach games, with presumably the strength and swiftness of a bird. Instead, this didn’t go so well. 

Opinions about why this doesn’t work as a concept are fairly divided. Some people say that it is down to the nightmarish design, others say that it’s down to the brash and unlikable personality of the person in the suit, but the universal agreement from the Internet is that this was not a sensible manoeuvre, and has instead lower the overall reputation of the team. Back to the drawing board, people.

G-Wiz – Washington Wizards

Now, credit to the Washington Wizards where it is due, they do actually have a fairly unique mascot. It is called G-Wiz, and nobody knows exactly what it is. It’s a big blue thing.

Looking kind of like a cross between a Muppet and an anteater, G-Wiz Is an interesting character. It’s been around since the 90s, it has a variety of hobbies, and it is a fairly common appearance now whenever the Washington Wizards step out to play. 

The Raptor – Toronto Raptors 

The Toronto Raptors are well known for a lot of different reasons, and one of them is their mascot. In a world full of birds, wolves, dogs and lions, the Toronto Raptors went for, you guessed it, a raptor. 

A strange, red creature with a mop of brown hair, the raptor is the ultimate expression of the Toronto Raptors, and has become very popular actually. It is widely considered to be one of the best mascots of all time, because it is both appealing, unique, and funny all at once. 

Jazz Bear – Utah Jazz 

The Utah Jazz team is a group of people who have a lot of things going for them. A fairly reasonable record, an impressive gathering of fans, and a mascot who is downright inappropriate and hilarious all at once. Introducing, for your viewing pleasure, the Jazz Bear. 

This bear has an attitude problem. Well, specifically, he is one of the few mascots with an attitude. He is more than happy to start causing problems, pick fights with the other team, and has been inducted into the mascot Hall of Fame to commemorate just how important he is to the sport as a whole. It’s definitely a lot of fun, if just something which is not usually seen. 

Jack Nicholson – Los Angeles Lakers

And one of the best mascots of all time is the mascot for the Los Angeles Lakers, Jack Nicholson. No, we aren’t joking.

The famous actor Jack Nicholson is a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. He has had ringside seats sense forever, and has been a regular fan of the games for the past 25 years. As many are aware, Jack has had a long prolific acting career, and he might be considered to be one of the most talented actors in his generation. He’s definitely not a bad idea for an unofficial mascot, but this is cheating slightly. However, it’s Jack Nicholson, what are you going to do? 

In conclusion, these are some of the most interesting MBA mascots ranked from worst to best. These people offer something different to the team that they are part of, and it is interesting to see how they all affect the culture of the game. Mascots help to connect the players with the fans, and to ground the whole thing in a fun and approachable manner. Understandably, these are some of the most affluent and interesting mascots which have ever come out of the game, and they all have left an impact on MBA as a whole, whether it’s good or bad. It’s always interesting to see how these mascots have influenced the shape of the game, and so to see them progress and advance is always fun. But who will the Lakers have when Jack Nicholson stops going to games? Only time will tell. 

British jump racing postponed until July

The BHA has announced that there will be no jump racing in the UK before the 1st of July. BUt flat racing might start in May. 

This decision was made following an initial proposal from the National Trainers Federation (NTF), with the aim being to provide clarity to the trainers and owners of jump horses and to assist them in minimising any unnecessary expenditure.

The decision has been taken in agreement with the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and Racecourse Association (RCA).

As included in the industry plan announced on Monday, detailed proposals are being developed for a resumption of racing from 1st May, if that’s possible. When that happens, racing will begin on the flat and behind closed doors to minimise demands on emergency services.

The return to racing is also likely to be phased with a limited number of fixtures in the initial weeks. This reflects the likelihood that any easing of the Covid-19 situation, and any associated restrictions and pressures on medical services, will also happen progressively. With flat racing usually entering its core season at this time of year, the focus in the early stages of the return to racing will be on providing opportunities to the flat horse population.

A team led by the BHA’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Brant Dunshea, with representatives from across the industry met yesterday (Wednesday) to review the developing plan for resumption from 1st May.

Planning has also commenced for a return to jump racing, beginning from 1st July. It will include providing extra opportunities by programming more jump fixtures than would usually occur at this time of year, including during the originally scheduled jump breaks in August and September.

Tracks capable of holding jump racing in this period and most affected by the reduction in the number of jump fixtures earlier in the summer will be given priority when programming additional opportunities.

Richard Wayman, Chief Operating Officer of the BHA, said:

“The decision to lose jump racing until July was not one which was taken lightly and we are very conscious of the impact this will have on many across our sport.

“We are working closely with the horsemen, racecourses and Levy Board to ensure the sport is ready for a resumption of racing at the earliest possible opportunity. Our planning is progressing well, and it is important that we keep everybody informed as it develops to help them with their own decision-making.

“The plan involves a phased return of racing, as well as increasing the jump programme in late summer and early autumn. With that in mind, we wanted to ensure that those who own or train jumps horses have a clear picture of how we are planning to proceed in the coming months.

“Additionally, we were keen to minimise the risk of any unnecessary expenditure by confirming that there will be no jump racing before 1st July. This will allow horses to have breaks away from training yards if owners wish them to.”

Emma Lavelle, President of the NTF, said:

“Having canvassed the opinion of Jump trainers, we felt a break in Jump racing until 1st July would bring clarity for owners, trainers and staff, and allow the immediate focus to be on Flat Racing which is already losing a major part of its core season.

“There was a willingness to engage in constructive conversation amongst the BHA and other stake holders and flexibility to produce a programme that will give plenty of opportunities to the summer jump population later in the year”.

Charlie Parker, ROA Board member and representative on the Resumption of Racing Group, said:

“The decision to delay the resumption of Jump racing until 1st July will help bring clarity to those who were looking forward to seeing their horses run over the summer months. By taking this decision, owners and trainers can now plan with more certainty, albeit with the knowledge that it will be a phased return and therefore opportunities for horses to run will be limited initially.

“The ROA will continue to work with the Resumption of Racing Group to ensure that, when feasible, British racing is able to restart a race programme as soon as possible.”

David Armstrong, Chief Executive of the RCA, said:

“All parts of the industry are suffering right now, and racecourses are no exception, but we are fully supportive of this decision to give some certainty to horsemen and others around the timing of a resumption of jump racing.

“Equally, the commitment from the BHA that they will look to stage an enhanced programme of jump fixtures during the late summer and early Autumn is very helpful and should give some comfort to all those involved.”

Dale Gibson, Executive Director (Racing) of the PJA, said:

“The PJA, having consulted senior Jump Jockeys and our Board via conference call this morning, fully supports the plan for Jump Racing to return in July. Any changes to the summer programme present new challenges for everyone involved, especially during these incredibly difficult times. We all need to be willing to adapt and work collectively for the benefit to the sport as a whole.

“This includes having an agreed plan for the initial resumption of racing, whenever that may be, as long as we are able to do so safely from both a national perspective and from a participants’ point of view. We look forward to working closely with other stakeholders in producing a plan to get racing back up and running as soon as possible.”

NFL Will Begin Allowing Partnerships And Sports Betting Lounges This Year

The sports betting industry is growing rapidly and nothing will slow that growth. If you like betting on sports, you should know that this is going to benefit you immensely.

Since more organizations and governments are started to accept sports betting, you’ll be able to take advantage of this in the future. You may be able to gain access to sports facilities in your area. You should also know that the NFL is starting to accept casinos more than ever. Things are going to change a lot this year.

You’ll find out more about the organization’s decision to allow casino partnerships and sports betting lounges this year.

What Is Changing?

In the past, the NFL took a strong stance against sports betting. The organization would not allow partnerships with casinos or sportsbook operators. So, it was unthinkable that a stadium would have a betting lounge. This is going to change this year. It has been announced that the NFL will begin allowing all of these things to happen. Thanks to the changes, stadiums can start having betting lounges. At the same time, teams will be able to accept sponsorships from sportsbooks companies.

This will change the sport as you know it. It’ll also make the sports betting industry much bigger.

How It’ll Change Everything

Boxing betting has been around for years. However, betting on the NFL is new. While you could bet on football games in the past, the NFL didn’t like it. They weren’t going to let their teams accept casinos as sponsors. Now, they will. There is a good chance that you’re going to see many commercials for sportsbook operators during NFL football games. Simultaneously, you may find that your favorite team is sponsored by one of these companies. Things are going to change even more for people who intend to go to games in person.

When you enter a stadium for an NFL football game, you’ll be able to enjoy the action at a sports betting lounge. The lounges will be designed to accommodate the needs of people who are betting on the games.

Will It Hurt?

Some experts are concerned that the design could lead to some backlash from some groups. Many groups speak out against sport betting and casinos regularly. They may encourage their supports to stop watching NFL games since they’re no longer family-friendly. This can be a problem for the sports organization since it needs Americans to tune in and watch. If they don’t, they’re going to be hurting. Ultimately, there is a slim chance that the decision will cause any problems.

Summary

At the end of the day, the world is changing. People have decided to enjoy sports betting. Now that it is available and supported by the NFL, more people will decide to do the same. If you haven’t bet on the outcome of a football game in the past, you may want to do so. There is a good chance that you’ll enjoy the experience. Since the NFL is supporting it, you can too.

Will pro cycling survive if Tour de France is cancelled

NTT Pro Cycling boss Doug Ryder says cycling’s biggest teams would survive if the 2020 Tour de France was canceled.

However, he believes the coronavirus pandemic could have a severe impact on teams below WorldTour level.

“It would be sad if the Tour is not on, but cycling will survive and come through this stronger and better,” Ryder told PA.

“Hopefully all the WorldTour teams would still be on the startline in January 2021, but my big concern would be for the Pro-Conti teams, they’re on smaller budgets and a lot of their partners are in retail.

“They are people’s passions and I’m worried about those teams because that is a significant part of cycling.”

The world governing body’s president David Lappartient said earlier this year it would be a “disaster” for cycling if the Tour was cancelled, with huge fears over how a sport reliant on sponsor exposure for its funding could cope with the loss of its biggest shop window.

Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals cancelled as National Hunt season ends

The Board of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) in response to the need to provide as much clarity as possible to the racing industry agreed on Wednesday to close the 2019/2020 National Hunt season immediately, meaning the Fairyhouse Easter Festival and Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival have both been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.

The Board recognised that once the Government’s restrictions have been lifted racing would restart on the Flat and most likely behind closed doors, with adherence to strict social distancing protocols as were successfully operated at ten race fixtures in March.

The Board also confirmed that an enhanced National Hunt programme from October to December 2020 will be revealed later this year and it is intended to include the 2020 BoyleSports Irish Grand National in that programme.

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland said:

“We are working on a range of industry supports which we hope to announce in the coming weeks. Once an achievable target resumption date can be identified, a new fixture list covering the rest of the year will be quickly published based on our on-going work, along with revised race programmes which will cater for the entire horse population.”

Mr Kavanagh continued:

“While the conclusion of the National Hunt season is a major blow for that sector and  jump racing enthusiasts, in making an early decision we want to give as much certainty as possible to owners and trainers and this plan will allow winter National Hunt horses to take advantage of summer grass, reducing the costs for National Hunt owners, with the knowledge of an enhanced programme to come for them from the Autumn onwards, circumstances permitting.”

Football Or Soccer – Which Is It In Ireland?

Irish people have a special way of expressing themselves. Unlike some other countries, the locals believe that their expressions are unique and have more meaning.

When it comes to sports, the Irish love all kinds of sports, including running, Gaelic football, hurling, cycling, swimming, and soccer. The question here is what term do Irish prefer when speaking of one of the country’s most popular sports. Is it soccer or football for the Irish people? You will find the answer to this question and so much in the article below.

Matter Of Pride

It is true that many countries frown on the term “soccer”, which is very commonly utilized throughout the United States. In the United States, there is already a sport that utilizes an oblong sphere-like ball. Football just happens to be the most popular American sport, at least it is what most people believe. Soccer, on the other hand, utilizes a round ball with black and white an octagon or heptagon. The design distinguishes the soccer ball from any other ball utilized in sports. 

In Ireland, utilizing the term “football” is a matter of pride. In fact, many Irish people believe that utilizing the term “soccer” to describe the sport is “cringeworthy”. Whether it is or not is another story. But, in the meantime, the Irish people will continue to refer to soccer as football. Some people refer to Gaelic football as “football” but most use the term “Gaelic” when decribing their national sport. 

Earned Its Title

Soccer is more popular in Ireland than in the United States. While many public facilities, including schools and summer programs, are beginning to offer soccer opportunities to children of all ages. The action is an attempt to increase the popularity of the sport in the United States. Whether this action will do the trick or not still remains to be seen. But, at least, you can now find children playing soccer on playgrounds and school grounds, and in parks.

The Irish, along with the British, Brazilians, Mexicans, and others, believe soccer has earned its title as “football.” Unfortunately, you may never convince all Americans to believe the same thing, even though the country is becoming more and more diverse as each day passes.

Considered A Tough Sport In Ireland

Americans and Irish people have two different views on soccer when it comes to toughness. Americans believe that football is the toughest full-contact sport in the world. The Irish tend to disagree, as they believe soccer is the toughest sport of all time. No matter what, you will never change the minds on either side. So, there is not since even trying. In the meantime, Americans and the Irish have their own believes when it comes to their favorite sport. With that said, many Americans and Irish agree that playing games at online casino Singapore is a great way to utilize spare time.

Where The Term Originated From

According to research, soccer originated in England where it has been played since 1863. Even though soccer is a British term, it is more often utilized by Americans. In 1863, the Football Association, a newly formed organization designed specifically for the sport, began to create rules and regulations for soccer. It did not take very long before the sport gained in popularity. In the beginning, players did not receive payment for their performances. Instead, they volunteered and still worked full-time jobs, many in textile and other factories.

Rugby

Rugby is another sport that is often referred to as “football”. Where does the term “rugby” originate from? Well, it actually was named from a boarding school in England. The sport permitted players to carry the ball down the field toward the goal. Games that were played under the Football Association rules were deemed “association football”. To shorten the term, many referred to the sport as “assoccer” while rugby football was deemed “rugger”. 

Years later, British peopled deemed the sport “soccer”. Even though the term “soccer” is still widely utilized today, it is still only a nickname that originated in Great Britain. In the 19th century, a new but similar sport was created. This sport would be deemed “gridiron football”. It did not take long for the new sport to gather supporters. In fact, its popularity grew at an alarming rate. And, it is just as or more popular today.

The gridiron was later dropped but the sports’ popularity is still going strong.

What You Can Do while Sports Betting is Not Possible?

Coronavirus pandemic has stopped almost all kinds of sports across the globe. NBA, NHL, and MLB are all off the board.

The same goes for the most popular soccer and basketball leagues overseas as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Champions League, Europa League, EuroLeague (basketball) were all suspended as a consequence of the Covid-19 chaos. All tennis, golf, snooker, and other tournaments are also called off. As social distancing suddenly became the way of life around the entire planet, the gamblers are facing a drastic reduction of options to bet on.  

Sportsbooks forced to come up with alternative options

Just when online betting reached its heights, sportsbooks are forced to invent alternative betting options for their customers. However, it does not seem to be too big of a problem for them. Many sports betting operators, such as Virgin Casino online, are proving to be very creative. After all, if sportsbooks can book something, there will always be someone to bet on it. Just to underline how important it is for the operators to provide alternative betting solutions, we will say that people across the globe gambled around $150 billion last year according to the American Gaming Association. The needs of the market are huge and there is no time to waste.  

Belarusian Premier League & Tom Brady

The elite class of Belarusian soccer is one of the rare competitions that were not affected by the coronavirus pandemic at all. It suddenly became the most important soccer league in the world and punters across the globe, especially in Europe, suddenly started to back teams such as BATE, Dinamo Minsk, or Zhodino. 

People in the United States were busy around Tom Brady’s move from the New England Patriots. The local sportsbooks were full of proposition bets in regards to the legendary quarterback’s next destination. The bets became as exotic as predicting minimum and maximum temperatures in different states. The app designed for this particular type of betting drew more than 10,000 users in a week. As the pandemic shows no intention of slowing down, we have reasons to expect this number to be higher in the next few weeks.  

Fantasy, e-sports, presidential debate

Interest in e-sports & Fantasy betting has grown rapidly since March 17th. Entry fees for League of Legends bets increased by more than 700% in just one week. Bets on counter-strike, DOTA, FIFA and other eSports have also seen massive growth in popularity over the last few weeks.

In the lack of proper sports bets, bettors also turned to events like the “Survivor” TV series and the Democratic Party debate over who will represent them in this year’s elections. 

Sportsbooks are doing everything they can to save the businesses. At the moment, they will accept almost any kind of bet you can imagine. The sports action is dead, but the betting industry is still well alive. The bettors are not quite spoilt for choice, but there are plenty of options for those who are kenen to test their luck.

Watch man run marathon in back garden to raise money

A “bored” former athlete will be spending his birthday running a marathon in his garden – despite it measuring just 6m (19ft).

James Campbell, 31, has calculated he will have to traverse it 7,000 times to log the required 26.2 miles.

He expects the endurance feat, which he has dubbed “literally the most stupid thing I could think of to do”, to take about seven hours.

To support

justgiving.com/fundraising/ja Nearly £5k before I start which is incredible! Thank you all so much. Now for the fun bit #6metregardenmarathon

He hopes to raise £10,000 for the NHS.

1...528529530...583Page 529 of 583

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

SportsNewsIreland is an Irish website launched in 2009 to offer sports fans in Ireland an alternative and independent source to keep them up to date with all the news from around the country. Every week we bring you live score updates from all levels of GAA, rugby, soccer, racing and athletics. Contact

Contact us: Email: info@sportsnewsireland.com

FOLLOW US

Design by SportsMediaIreland.ie